Chemistry!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · May 28, 2005

oh, boy! i'm the only one who's answering this? this isn't good. i hope you understand this. i know you won't believe me when i tell you it is quite easy, but you are working within the metric system so it really is just a matter of moving the decimal point. the question is how many places. here's my answer for you:

1 nanometer = .000000001 meter (or one billionth of a meter, or 10 to the power of -9)

1 meter = 100 centimeters

the actual math for this is (12)(.000000001)(100)(centimeters) which equals .0000012 centimeters

you start with 12 and move it's decimal point 7 places to the left and you end up with the right answer.

i'm trying to see if i can set this up as an algebraic equation for you with this word processing software. you set up equivalent ratios that you manipulate so that you can divide out their labels in order to be left with the label of "centimeters". you need to learn to do that for most chemistry math. this is the equation that you set up to get the final answer:

(12 nanometers/1)(.000000001 meter/1 nanometer)(100 centimeters/1 meter)

it will look better if you write all these fractions vertically, but i could not do that with this word processing program. what happens is that the labels for nanometers and meters cancel (divide) out which leaves you lelft with the math to do which i did above in the bold face type and that gives you the answer.

hope that helps you.

matsgrl · May 29, 2005

I just started Intro to Chemistry, and am having a horrible time!! I feel so stupid in this class!! If anyone is really good at chemistry, I could use your help.
We are doing conversions, like 12 nanometers to centimeters.
How in the world do you go about getting an answer for that? Thanks for any help you can give me!
I went out today and bought a cliffnotes for chemistry, and maybe that will help me out.

This is what my Professor taught us:

Many x x kangaroos happily dance (march, giggle, Laugh) during circus music x x until x x nightfall.

Now, to use it - starting at left and going right. (Bigger to smaller)

M= mega, 2 spaces (we didnt have to memorize these), k=kilo, h=hecto, d=deka, (March, Giggle, Laugh are: Meters, Grams, Liters = your neutral spot whether measuring in meters, grams or liters), d=deci, c=centi, m=milli, 2 spaces, u=micro, 2 spaces, n=nano

So is you have:

3 grams = ? mg (You would start at Giggle(grams) and go to music(milli) which is 3 spots to right. Do NOT count Laugh because it's not same unit of measurement) Therefore, answer is: 3000 mg

A harder one:

1.57 nm = ? Mm(mega meter). Here you would start at n(nightfall) and go up 9 (2 before AND after u)to get to meters and then another 6 to get to Mega (count the 2 spaces inbetween M and k) for a total of 15 spaces and we went to the LEFT so.... .00000000000000157 Mm

I hope that didnt confuse you. Draw it out on paper with just the letters and when you get to March, Giggle, Liters - draw them under eachother because that's the "neutral" spot. Let me see if I can find my drawing of it and get it uploaded.

I hope I didnt confuse you more. This is REALLY easy when you memorize the pneumonic.

Hodge · May 29, 2005

Make sure you have enough of a math background to take chemistry. In tutoring, I have found that this was the biggest problem.

brandy119 · May 29, 2005

I just started Intro to Chemistry, and am having a horrible time!! I feel so stupid in this class!! If anyone is really good at chemistry, I could use your help.
We are doing conversions, like 12 nanometers to centimeters.
How in the world do you go about getting an answer for that? Thanks for any help you can give me!
I went out today and bought a cliffnotes for chemistry, and maybe that will help me out.

Hello JennK. I just read your post and I feel with you.. I started Chem the beginning Chemistry 2 weeks ago, and I am so lost, not to mention I have the worst teacher of them all. It is not just me, the whole class is lost. I am going to basicly have to teach myself chemistry, and this just seems so hard.I find the internet to be some help with the questions and formulas. I just hope it gets easier I need a C to get my name on the waiting list at the school I am going too. Good luck Jen!!! :)

foxfire65 · Jun 1, 2005

Hello JennK. I just read your post and I feel with you.. I started Chem the beginning Chemistry 2 weeks ago, and I am so lost, not to mention I have the worst teacher of them all. It is not just me, the whole class is lost. I am going to basicly have to teach myself chemistry, and this just seems so hard.I find the internet to be some help with the questions and formulas. I just hope it gets easier I need a C to get my name on the waiting list at the school I am going too. Good luck Jen!!! :)

Just wanted to say....Ugh....I have to take this class next semester and it doesn't sound pretty. I like the jingle though, that is an easy way to remember it.

reese_cup · Jun 1, 2005

Just wanted to say good luck...I have 'Intro to alegbra' this summer and Chem 1010 and Biol 1001 in the Fall

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jun 1, 2005

This is what my Professor taught us:
Many x x kangaroos happily dance (march, giggle, Laugh) during circus music x x until x x nightfall.
Now, to use it - starting at left and going right. (Bigger to smaller)
M= mega, 2 spaces (we didnt have to memorize these), k=kilo, h=hecto, d=deka, (March, Giggle, Laugh are: Meters, Grams, Liters = your neutral spot whether measuring in meters, grams or liters), d=deci, c=centi, m=milli, 2 spaces, u=micro, 2 spaces, n=nano
So is you have:
3 grams = ? mg (You would start at Giggle(grams) and go to music(milli) which is 3 spots to right. Do NOT count Laugh because it's not same unit of measurement) Therefore, answer is: 3000 mg
A harder one:
1.57 nm = ? Mm(mega meter). Here you would start at n(nightfall) and go up 9 (2 before AND after u)to get to meters and then another 6 to get to Mega (count the 2 spaces inbetween M and k) for a total of 15 spaces and we went to the LEFT so.... .00000000000000157 Mm
I hope that didnt confuse you. Draw it out on paper with just the letters and when you get to March, Giggle, Liters - draw them under eachother because that's the "neutral" spot. Let me see if I can find my drawing of it and get it uploaded.
I hope I didnt confuse you more. This is REALLY easy when you memorize the pneumonic.

I LOVE IT!

matsgrl · Jun 2, 2005

I LOVE IT!

Good, I hope it made sense - it's actually quite easy once you remember about those kangaroos! LOL

Maxs · Jun 2, 2005

I just started Intro to Chemistry, and am having a horrible time!! I feel so stupid in this class!! If anyone is really good at chemistry, I could use your help.
We are doing conversions, like 12 nanometers to centimeters.
How in the world do you go about getting an answer for that? Thanks for any help you can give me!
I went out today and bought a cliffnotes for chemistry, and maybe that will help me out.

Forget all the zeros and all that crap because it will get complicated as you start multiplicating avogadro's number's.

Given:

12 nm

Find:

? cm

so you set it up like this, 12 nm X 1E-9 m/1 nm X 1 cm/1E-2 m = 1.2E-6 cm

Remember nanometers and meters will cancel out. The reason why you use meters is because you have to get used to it out now. Later on when you do big conversions you will see why this method is helpful. You can also solve for the above problem like this.

12 nm X 1E-9 m/1 nm = 1.2E-8 m, you take 1.2E-8 m X 1 cm/1E-2 m = 1.2E6 cm

The E is on your calculator, it saves you time instead of pluging in like let's say .0000005 = 5.0E-5 or 5E-5 if you have 112583.6 = 1.13E5 this is in three significant figures. When you convert you have to remember you will cancel out things.

here is an easy question, the oxygen molecule consists of two oxygen atoms a distance of 121 pm apart. How many millimeters is this?

Given: 121 pm

Find: millimeters

121 pm X 1E-12 m/1 pm X 1 mm/1E-3 m = 1.21E-7 mm

if you have a graphing calculator click 2nd (yellow button), then press on the coma which underneath it will be EE but you only need to click it once so you get one E after your number. If you have any other calculator look button that is E on it. e.g. if you need like .00005 enter first 5.0E-5 because it's decimals or you're counting towards the right.

Maxs

seneca-BSN-student · Jun 2, 2005

I just started Intro to Chemistry, and am having a horrible time!! I feel so stupid in this class!! If anyone is really good at chemistry, I could use your help.
We are doing conversions, like 12 nanometers to centimeters.
How in the world do you go about getting an answer for that? Thanks for any help you can give me!
I went out today and bought a cliffnotes for chemistry, and maybe that will help me out.

I just wanted to wish you luck. I barely passed my intro to Chem class last month. It was hell for me...but I got through it. So can you! :)

matsgrl · Jun 3, 2005

WOW - I SUCK at Chemistry but aced it with flying colors - I guess it's the way the teacher presents it. We had to learn all that stuff too but she taught us where we didnt have to use stuff like this:

121 pm X 1E-12 m/1 pm X 1 mm/1E-3 m = 1.21E-7 mm

If you need help, post a question and I may be able to show you a simpler way of figuring it out OR someone on here can show you an easier way FOR YOU to do it. That's usually the ticket - finding the right way for YOU to get to the answer.